A question for the mono bods...

[Korky]

When doing a mono conversion, do you apply the B&W stuff after straightening and cropping and then carry out any adjustments on the mono image? Or.....

 

Do you get the image right as far as colour and contrast etc goes and then convert to mono?

 

My mono images always seem to be a bit hit and miss and I wonder if I'm getting it right.

 

Korky

 

 

[Black Pearl]

I make sure the exposure is about right....not always perfect but close.

I crop the image the way I intend to present it so when I start to convert to mono I can apply a vignette (which I often do) and it will be to the cropped image and not be then cropped off. 

 

 

As to the conversion then nine times out of ten I use Nik Silver Efex Pro - generally using the straight forward version as presented then manually tweaking the various sliders.

What I also do is use the Dodge/Burn tool in Photoshop, as I would have in a wet darkroom, to tweak some areas. 

I don't use weird layers, I don't use even weirder brushes, I don't use colour channels or God only knows what other mad conversion techniques bandied about the net - I keep it simple.

[FUJI]

Hi, Korky,

I guess that we all learn a certain way ....then as we progress we add our own unique tweaks...

Here's my method to date....... I am assuming, that you already know how to pull down a working layer and how to change is so the affect is painted over those beneath?

1: Open and name, the original RAW colour shot, then save a copy as a PSD file, use this to work on..

2: Crop and Straighten ....then quickly zip through the AUTO contrast and colour, if either or both don't improve things go back.....

3: ....Make a copy layer.........play with the EXPOSURE sliders, if required.....set the brush size, Flow and Opacity to suit ( this bit follows through each stage now) .....Brush the exposure adjustments just where you want them and at what levels.

NB...Many folk go to the next layer at this point.....I don't, I flatten the layers to save disc space) .....

4: Now choose the....BLACK & WHITE ....adjustment, then use the sliders there to adjust each colour until you are happy.....

5: Make another copy..... Again using soft brushes on layers, use the adjusters as in 3 above, to alter CURVES, LEVELS or EXPOSURE ......now, here's the secret......ONLY A LITTLE AT A TIME......that way, you build your photograph LAYER by LAYER IN TARGETED areas, but obviously following the light direction.....tiny but slightly harder adjustments can be made inside eyes to emphasise shininess.

6: Obviously your processing will depend upon the texture being worked on.....Personally I love developing chrome and wet surfaces, they mean I can, really work to tease out all the gradations of reflection from the highlight to the almost black....done using minimum OPACITY can really make things shine.......but......Should you be working on a texture, such as, fabric, Grass, grizzled features etc, then the application of adjustments can be harder.

7: Towards the end, I check that all is as it should be, then make hey another layer.....now, just click the AUTO CONTRAST button....you will be amazed at what it might produce, remember to use your soft brush to paint the affect at the OPACITY to suit any given area.

8: My final task, is to use a layer or layers to do a bit of SELECTIVE SHARPENING......more is required to emphasise textures, less for other areas.....targeting and adjusting sharpening really brings out textures and edges.....but don't overdo it..... My SHARPENING slider is usually around 150 with the other sliders at NIL.

9: If you haven't done so at each layer completion, now is the time to Flatten All ( unless you want to fill your drive or go back to alter thugs) ....I now SAVE. The processed copy first as a full size PSD. Then as a reduced version for posting on forums or emailing.

My basic method is a personal adaptation of Martin Henson's CONTRAST GRADING.....I learned it via his DVD tutorial, I must acknowledge his input here....

I use exactly the same procedures to process all of my best colour pics, but instead of concentrating on just TONES and TEXTURES.... Now colour adjustments is added to the mix.

All of this may seem complicated, but just like learning to drive, eventually all the controls become second nature and much if the slider adjustments are internalized, meaning that you can visualise what you want to see before you do it.

ABOVE ALL, GO GENTLY, STAGE BY STAGE

It us always difficult to put instructions into words......hope this works for you?

FUJI.

[ChrisLumix]

I make sure the exposure is about right....not always perfect but close.

I crop the image the way I intend to present it so when I start to convert to mono I can apply a vignette (which I often do) and it will be to the cropped image and not be then cropped off. 

 

 

As to the conversion then nine times out of ten I use Nik Silver Efex Pro - generally using the straight forward version as presented then manually tweaking the various sliders.

What I also do is use the Dodge/Burn tool in Photoshop, as I would have in a wet darkroom, to tweak some areas. 

I don't use weird layers, I don't use even weirder brushes, I don't use colour channels or God only knows what other mad conversion techniques bandied about the net - I keep it simple.

 

Before anyone gets the idea from BP that Colour Channels is some weird and wacky digital effect - it ain't! It actually simulates the use of coloured filters when shooting B&W film back in the day. Each filter would block out the colour spectrum rays in that particular colour for effect. For example, the use of a green filter in areas of woodland or other foliage would result in a negative where the foliage was much lighter in tone than without, and the use of red or orange filters would have different results. All the Channel Mixer in Photoshop does is to give mono enthusiasts the same ability to play around with 'colour filters'. I did put a tutorial up in TIPF about it some time ago, illustrating the effect of tweaking in the three different channels.

[Black Pearl]

True, I do tend to be overdramatic at times - I do however still prefer to keep things simple and I believe you should learn how to create a good mono image....then....start to play with techniques.

[Korky]

Thanks for the replies everyone - lots to digest there.

 

Fooj - your technique does indeed look interesting, I'm going to give it a whirl and see how it goes.

 

BP - I think you might have the secret......... keeping it simple sounds good. And knowing when to stop twiddling is important too.

 

Chris - I thought you'd opened a can of worms there, but all seems to be well. I'll sleep better for that.

 

Korky

[NannyFerret]

It's so easy to use colour filters on B&W in Picasa, so you don't need to have an expensive program.

[Black Pearl]

Quick demo:

 

Pentax K30 DNG file imported into Lightroom 5:

 

Exposure etc. tweaked:

 

Exported to Photoshop CS6 and cropped:

 

Nik Silver Efex - Standard Profile:

 

Tweaked - Toned - Vignette:

 

Dodge Tool used to darken a few areas:

 

Re-Sized and Border Added:

 

Save As - Named:

 

File Size Adjusted to just under 300kb for TIPF:

 

Final Image:

 

Nice and simple - I could have left out the Dodge tool but I wanted to show it as I do usually have a little fiddle before I'm happy.

Nik SEP does make things easier by having multiple controls in one place but the various tools are there in CS6, I just happen to like this work-flow.

You will notice there is no sharpening or noise reduction at all (import sharpening in LR but that is very mild) as I am down sampling the shot for the web so generally you don't need to. 

If I was showing this shot in the main forum I may have been tempted to remove the zip tag from his mum's coat but I used it as is simply because I like the moment it captures and it was the first shot I came to I thought would be good for a demo.

[Korky]

That's very good and very helpful, BP, thanks. I get what you mean about simplicity.

 

I'd like to think that your demo will get others interested in B&W too.

 

I'll have a go tonight and post the results - I'll be using Aperture and Silver Efex.

 

Korky

Edited March 5, 2014 by Korky

[ChrisLumix]

Thanks for that BP - very useful even without owning Silver Efex (Photoshop will provide most of it anyhow).

 

Though you surely mean Burn not Dodge, for darkening?